Russian president denies responsibility for the conflict and celebrates territorial advances in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin said this Friday (19) that the end of the war in Ukraine depends on Kiev and its Western allies. He once again denied Russian responsibility for the origin of the conflict and celebrated the recent territorial advances of Moscow’s troops into Ukrainian territory.
The statements were made during the Russian leader’s traditional annual press conference in Moscow, amid diplomatic efforts by the United States and European countries to seek a way out of the war, which began in February 2022. The definition of the territorial issue remains unresolved.
“Our troops are advancing along the entire line of contact” and “I am sure that before the end of the year we will see new successes,” said Putin, in an event broadcast on state television. According to estimates, Russia currently controls around 19% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.
Putin asserted that “the ball is completely in the court” of “Western rivals,” citing the Kiev government and its European backers. “We do not consider ourselves responsible for the deaths of people, because we were not the ones who started this war,” he added. The Russian president also declared that he may order the suspension of attacks with long-range missiles and drones on the day of possible presidential elections in Ukraine, defended by Moscow and Washington.
During the press conference, Putin commented on the European Union’s decision not to use frozen Russian assets to finance a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine. More than 200 billion euros from Russia’s Central Bank are blocked in the Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear. According to him, the use of these resources would be “an assault” and could have “serious consequences”.
On the same Friday, in Warsaw, the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, stated that, if his country is defeated, Russia will attack Poland “inevitably”. Putin countered by saying that Moscow will not attack other countries “if it is treated with respect” and its interests are considered.
The territorial issue remains one of the main impasses in the negotiations. In November, a proposal prepared by Washington, without the participation of Kiev or European countries, was made public, which provided for the Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donetsk region and the recognition, by the United States, of areas such as Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk as Russian. The plan was later modified, but the issue remains a point of friction.
In September 2022, Russia announced the annexation of the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, despite not fully controlling these territories.
The war is also a cause for domestic concern in Russia. According to a survey by the independent Levada institute, released this month, 21% of those interviewed would like to ask Putin when the so-called “special military operation” will end. Another 16% want to know when there will be an improvement in living conditions, amid the 6.6% inflation recorded in November and the economic sanctions imposed by the West.
Although the Russian economy has resisted international restrictions, analysts point to difficulties such as labor shortages and expensive bank credit. The Central Bank of Russia recently reduced the key interest rate by half a point to 16%. After two years of growth driven by the war effort, the official expectation is for a slowdown, with GDP projected to expand between 0.5% and 1% this year, below the rates recorded in 2023 and 2024.
*With information from AFP
